Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval, Tampa, FL

Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval

4.5 (347)
$30 and under
Mexican
505 Water St, Tampa, FL 33602

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Lona is a dynamic modern Mexican restaurant brought to life by the creative collaboration of renowned chefs Richard Sandoval and Pablo Salas and aims to redefine the Mexican dining experience by combining traditional flavors with contemporary techniques and artistic presentation.

At Lona, guests will be immersed in a lively atmosphere that pays homage to Mexico's rich culinary heritage while embracing the spirit of innovation. The menu showcases a fusion of regional Mexican cuisines, featuring an array of bold and authentic flavors. From delectable street food favorites to refined dishes inspired by ancient recipes, Lona offers a culinary journey that celebrates the diversity and complexity of Mexican gastronomy.

We also offer reservations for our TopGolf Swing Suites, which can be made via our OpenTable Experiences.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Latin American, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (813) 204-6390
  • Website
    https://www.lonatampa.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Matthew Brennan
  • Private party facilities
    For functions of 12-300, host your next celebration in the unique dining spaces at Lona. From live-action stations, tasting & pairing dinners, and interactive cocktail receptions – our dedicated event team will bring your vision to life. Learn More: https://www.lonatampa.com/events
  • Location
    505 Water St, Tampa, FL 33602
  • Neighborhood
    Tampa
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Top Golf Swing Suite Weekday

    $75.00 per party

    Multiple dates available
    Our Topgolf Swing Suites are an immersive social experience offering guests a comfortable lounge and a premium experience of play, food and beverage and music. With massive screens and a selection of multi-sport virtual games, Topgolf Swing Suites deliver a one-of-a-kind simulation that’s fun for all.

  • Top Golf Swing Suite Weekend

    $90.00 per party

    Multiple dates available
    Our Topgolf Swing Suites are an immersive social experience offering guests a comfortable lounge and a premium experience of play, food and beverage and music. With massive screens and a selection of multi-sport virtual games, Topgolf Swing Suites deliver a one-of-a-kind simulation that’s fun for all.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 347 people are saying

Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Tampa / Central Florida West

    Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval in Tampa offers a lively dining experience with "amazing service" and an inviting atmosphere. The menu shines with standout dishes like "lobster quesadillas" and "shrimp and crab enchiladas." Happy hour is a hit, offering "excellent drinks and food." A perfect spot for both locals and visitors!
347 Reviews

  1. Shelley VIP

    Tampa / Central Florida West10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Gigi was an amazing server, made my family feel welcome since this was a 1st time for all 6 of us. Everything ordered was delicious and plentiful. Favorites were the Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas, the Guava Margarita, the Churros & Fajitas. Cocktails were strong & tasty. We’ll be back!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Simone

    Orlando / Central Florida East8 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant has a cool vibe. Loved the interior. Hostess was super cool about the fact that I messed up on the reservation time. Nice birthday surprise with a cake and candle. Food was mid. Nachos were stale. Fajitas had subzero flavor and steak was tough. Baja fish tacos were the superstar and saved the day. Michelada was essentially a red beer for $14. No chamoy, no tamarind. Service was fast. Server however failed with modification on plantains. We sent it back once to swap for just plain plantains. Within a few minutes the exact same plantains were brought back out to us. Server then comes back to chastise us for not telling her we had dairy allergies. Allergies were never mentioned. We simply ordered without cheese and crema because that's how we wanted it.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jade

    Tampa / Central Florida West1 review

    4.0

    Dined on June 30, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was amazing. Gigi was great and super helpful. The queso fondido with chorizo was amazing! Margaritas were just right. The shrimp and crab enchiladas were phenomenal. Was not as big of a fan for the enchiladas poblanas, it was personal preference for the sauce that comes with it. Overall it was a great experience.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Lara

    Tampa / Central Florida West1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My experience at Lona was an absolute delight! My family and I have dined in about a dozen or so restauraunts in the Tampa Bay area but so few were as captivating and mesmorizing as the food and service was at Lona. The happy hour deals were great and the experience was sensational to say the least.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Julie VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Manager Ryan and waiter were as nice as can be! Tequila drink was also amazing!
    Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on June 23, 2025
    Thanks for the review, Julie! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience at Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval. It's wonderful to know that our tequila drink and service met your expectations. We appreciate your feedback on the value, and we'll certainly take it into consideration as we strive to provide the best experience possible for our guests. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Todd VIP

    Tampa / Central Florida West75 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was great! Food, service and atmosphere all fantastic. The indoor driving range is a really cool feature I can’t believe that anyone would have an issue with that in some other reviews.
    Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on June 23, 2025
    Hi Todd, We're thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic experience at Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval! It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed our food, service, and ambiance. We're glad you appreciated our indoor driving range feature! Your feedback is greatly appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best regards, The Management Team

    Is this helpful?

  7. Amy

    Phoenix / Arizona1 review

    4.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant offers many gluten free options as well as pescatarian/vegetarian.
    Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on June 23, 2025
    Hi Amy, We're thrilled to hear that you appreciated our variety of gluten-free and pescatarian/vegetarian options at Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval. We always aim to cater to our guests' dietary needs and we're glad we hit the mark for you. We noted your feedback on the service. We strive to provide a high-quality dining experience and we're sorry to hear that we fell short this time. We'll certainly take your comments into account as we continually work to improve our guest experience. Thank you for your review, and we hope to see you again soon! Best regards, The Management Team

    Is this helpful?

  8. Kathy

    Tampa / Central Florida West2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was excellent as it was the night before. Also had same server who was excellent.
    Lona by Chef Richard SandovalResponded on June 23, 2025
    Hi Kathy, Thank you so much for your kind words and for giving us a perfect rating. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your meal and had the same server as before. We always aim to provide excellent service and it's great to know we hit the mark with you. We look forward to serving you again on your next visit. Best, Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval Management Team

    Is this helpful?

  9. Kathy

    Tampa / Central Florida West2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was excellent, very authentic Mexican and server was amazing.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Suzette VIP

    Southwest Florida21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was fabulous. The food was great, all four of us loved our meals. Everything from quesadillas to fajitas and more were so flavorful And the guacamole also fresh and chunky. The service was truly outstanding. I couldn’t think of one thing I’d change!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval is rated 4.5 stars by 347 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Tampa / Central Florida West
  4. Tampa
  5. Tampa

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval

505 Water St, Tampa, FL 33602

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Tampa
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Latin American, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Matthew Brennan
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.lonatampa.com/
  • Phone number
    (813) 204-6390
  • Private party facilities
    For functions of 12-300, host your next celebration in the unique dining spaces at Lona. From live-action stations, tasting & pairing dinners, and interactive cocktail receptions – our dedicated event team will bring your vision to life. Learn More: https://www.lonatampa.com/events
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo